December 23, 2009 > Federal stimulus funds to come to Santa Clara County Federal stimulus funds to come to Santa Clara County Submitted By Steven Blomquist Supervisor Cortese announced today that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) unanimously agreed to allocate up to $5 million for preliminary engineering and design work for the Highway 101/Tully/Capitol/Yerba Buena project in San Jose. The money would come from savings on other highway projects in the Bay Area that were funded by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars. While some ARRA dollars come directly to cities and counties, much of the transportation money from the federal stimulus program was allocated through the MTC. Cortese, an MTC commissioner since 2007, worked closely with MTC staff to put the Highway 101 project at the top of the list for receipt of funds, should there be any savings in the ARRA highway program. According to MTC staff, some savings is expected in the program, approximately $4.3 million. Fellow MTC commissioner Ken Yeager and the Valley Transportation Authority were also instrumental in gaining the MTC's approval. "Anyone who travels around Santa Clara County knows that Highway 101 at Capitol and Yerba Buena Roads is probably the most dangerous and congested area in our county," said Cortese, adding, "the funds we were allocated by the MTC will bring immense relief to this part of San Jose and increase motorist safety." The Highway 101 Corridor project includes reconstructing the interchange at Tully Road, reconstructing the interchange at Capitol Expressway and adding a slip ramp from Yerba Buena Road to Highway 101. The Tully Road portion of the project, which has already been funded with over $60,000,000 in state bonds, federal funds and local funds, was also advocated by Cortese, the VTA, and the MTC to the California Transportation Commission in an earlier approval. Savings from the Tully Road portion will be matched with the money approved by the MTC yesterday and this combined sum will then be used to complete engineering and design for the Capitol Interchange and the Yerba Buena ramp, as well as the construction of the Yerba Buena ramp. For more information, please contact Rabia Chaudhry at (408) 299-5030.